Column: Capitol Conversations, by Rich Murray

Over the past few days, Minnesota House lawmakers have put in long hours on the House floor in order to approve budget bills that will help eliminate our projected $5.1 billion budget deficit. Each area of government, such as K-12 education, public safety, environment, etc., is funded through a proposal called an omnibus finance bill.

Each comprehensive spending bill funds a particular area of government over the next two years. In essence they act as puzzle pieces. Once they are all put together, we will have a completed budget proposal that forces government to live within its means while eliminating the budget deficit.

I thought I’d highlight two of these proposals this week. The first, the Minnesota House K-12 education funding bill, will likely bring good news to area school districts. Just looking at the initial numbers, it appears that this House proposal would send more in per pupil funding to school districts in Albert Lea and our surrounding communities.

The House made it a top priority to protect classroom funding throughout the next budget cycle, and I was pleased to see rural Minnesota schools receive some much needed funding attention. As part of the education funding proposal, per-pupil funding statewide would increase on average by $86 in years 2012-13 and $40 in 2014. It’s also worth noting that the plan adds funding for smaller schools with less than 1,000 students.

The bill also contains several proposals designed to reform and improve Minnesota’s education system. Some of the provisions include repealing the integration aid program and redistributing that money to the per-pupil formula to benefit every student across the state, as well as relieving school districts of state-imposed mandates. We believe that a child is a child and a school district shouldn’t been discriminated against because of its zip code.

It was important for us to prioritize funding while reforming the way our K-12 education system works. Even though Minnesota is in a financial bind, it was important to submit a plan that provides stable, equitable funding for schools across the state. I ran on the idea that funding should be fair across the state and Greater Minnesota schools shouldn’t be short changed and this bill does that.

We also have significant road and bridge repair needs throughout Greater Minnesota, and one of the reasons I voted in favor of a transportation funding proposal on the Minnesota House floor recently was because it prioritizes improved road funding during these tight economic times.

Under this plan, rural Minnesota transportation needs will continue to be met. State highway spending would increase by $120 million, and local road investments would increase by over $126 million. Greater Minnesota transit would also increase by $1 million.

To help reduce government spending, the bill deletes general fund appropriations for Metro Area transit needs. Many of these reductions occur by adjusting general fund appropriations for the added revenue provided by increased motor vehicle sales tax receipts.

In other words, instead of using general fund revenue to help subsidize fares for people who travel on the Minneapolis light rail system, more of those funds will be used for programs like schools and nursing homes.

Speaking of light rail, it’s worth noting just how costly it is to operate these train lines in Minnesota. According to the Metropolitan Council, the taxpayer subsidy for a round trip on the Hiawatha Light rail is $7.90 out of a total cost of $10.06. The taxpayer subsidy for a round trip on the Northstar Commuter Rail is $47.70 out of $54.72 total cost. Yet when it comes to improving our roads, the taxpayer expense for each car trip is measured in the pennies, not dollars.

Some minority House members wanted us to continue and expand funding for proposed metro train projects. To me, new light rail projects are clearly a want, not a need. Minnesota is having great difficulty making operational cost payments for our current light rail systems; it would make no sense to start building new billion-dollar lines when we already can’t afford what we have.

Overall, I was satisfied with the transportation bill approved in the House, as it is fiscally responsible and recognizes that Minnesota’s roads and highways are truly our state’s top transportation priority.

Have a question or concern? Constituents in District 27A including communities in Freeborn and Mower counties can write to me at 439 State Office Building, 100 Rev Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155. Or call me at 651-296-8216 or email me at rep.rich.murray@house.mn.

Rich Murray, R-Albert Lea, is the state representative for House District 27A.